Sewage sludge can contain
disease-causing microbes, synthetic chemicals and heavy metals that can
cause acute and chronic disease. Many of these contaminants can persist
in soil for centuries and can enter the food system through crops grown
on sludge-treated land, as well as animals that graze on contaminated
land.
Pepperidge Farm Inc. installed a 1.2 megawatt (MW) fuel cell power plant at its state-of-the-art bakery in Bloomfield, CT. Manufactured by FuelCell Energy Inc., the fuel cell is now the biggest power source for this 260,000-sq.-ft. manufacturing facility, and represents the largest single commercial fuel cell power plant in the US.
While the major Listeria outbreak in Canada has subsided, two unrelated
recalls still show the possibility of Listeria contamination in foods
north and south of the Canadian border.
Reclamation of thermal heat is a conspicuous example of the many energy
initiatives underway as the food industry rethinks the ROI on energy
management.
From recall readiness to raw material and energy costs, Food Engineering readers weigh in on
issues affecting workers and the workplace for food manufacturing.
Sophisticated technology demands technically competent workers to
function properly. Better training is the mantra for both incumbent workers and
young adults.
“Quality is Job One”
is a catchy marketing claim. For the men and women who manage and work in
America ’s food
and beverage plants, on-the-job safety is an even higher priority.